James Webb Space Telescope Weekly Schedule Oct 10, 2022 to Oct 16, 2022

October 11, 2022


Last week James Webb Telescope observed several objects including AU Microscopii one of the youngest planetary systems ever observed by astronomers, Pleiades or Seven Sisters/M45 an open star cluster, Comet Hale-Bopp, Pluto/Chron,  star HD 44179. For more details regarding these observations, check out last week's schedule here. This week, James Webb Telescope is scheduled to observe asteroid Phaethon, another asteroid with rings called Chariklo, NGC 346, NGC 2023, Epithemeus, a potato shaped moon epimetheus among other objects. Following are the major objects that James Webb Space Telescope will study this week (Oct 10 to Oct 16, 2022) as per the schedule published here. File Link, Link

NGC 346Credit: NASA, ESA, A. James (STScI)

A star-forming zone with a diameter of 200 light-years is known as NGC 346. The Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, is a wonder of the southern sky and is only 210,000 light-years away in the constellation of the Toucan (Tucana). Astronomers have discovered a population of developing stars in NGC 346 by exploring the dark, intersecting dust lanes that are visible here on the right. The star newborns' light is colored by the intervening dust as they continue to collapse within their natal clouds. Another star cluster with intrinsically older and redder stars is visible near the top of the frame. The SMC, a tiny, atypical galaxy, is a form of galaxy that was more prevalent in the early Universe. But these little galaxies are supposed to be fundamental elements. James Webb Telescope is scheduled to observe NGC 346 on October 10, 2022.

Asteroid Phaethon - Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/IPAC

Due to its close proximity to our Sun, Phaethon, a 5.10 km object, was discovered on October 11, 1983, using the Infrared Astronomical Satellite. Phaethon was named after the Greek story of Phaethon, son of the sun god Helios. Technically speaking, Phaethon is an asteroid and is the first one to have been found by satellite. But how might an asteroid generate the Geminid-causing meteoroids? According to one scenario, Phaethon split off from another object, ejecting meteoroids as it did so. But other things we know conflict with this. Another hypothesis is that the debris Earth travels through today was created by a collision with another object thousands of years ago. . James Webb Telescope is scheduled to observe Phaethon on October 11, 2022.

NGC 2023 - Credit: Wikipedia

The emission and reflection nebula NGC 2023 is located in the Orion constellation's equatorial region. On January 6, 1785, astronomer William Herschel, who was of German descent, made the discovery. With a diameter of 10 by 10 arcminutes, this reflection nebula is one of the largest in the sky. It is situated roughly 15 arcminutes to the northeast of the Horsehead Nebula and is situated 1,300 light years (400 pc) from the Sun. This star-forming nebula is situated in the northern region of this complex and is a component of the Orion B molecular cloud, also known as Lynds 1630. With only 21 embedded infrared sources, it has the lowest star density among the four clusters embedded in the cloud complex. . James Webb Telescope is scheduled to observe NGC 2023 October 06, 2022.

Chariklo - Credit: NASA/ESO

The largest confirmed centaur is Chariklo (small body of the outer Solar System). It passes close to Uranus' orbit as it revolves around the Sun between Saturn and Uranus. Chariklo became the first minor planet known to have rings when, on March 26, 2014, astronomers announced the discovery of two rings (known as the rivers Oiapoque and Chu) around it by studying a star occultation. James V. Scotti of the Spacewatch program made the discovery of Chariklo on February 15, 1997. Chariklo is named after the nymph Chariclo, who was the daughter of Apollo and the bride of Chiron. James Webb Telescope is scheduled to observe Chariklo on October 13, 2022.

Epimetheus - Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

The moon Epimetheus has a mean radius of 36 miles and is shaped like a potato. Its shape is a result of extreme flattening at the Epimethean South Pole that is linked to the crater's remnants. Hilairea and Pollux are two of the craters on Epimetheus that are more than 19 miles (30 km) in diameter. This oblong moon orbits Saturn at a distance of 94,000 miles (151,000 km), taking 17 hours to complete one round of the planet. However, it is not acting alone as it completes this orbit. In reality, it orbits in what is known as a co-orbital state or 1:1 resonance with a sister moon called Janus. James Webb Telescope is scheduled to observe Epimetheus on October 14, 2022.